You do not have to use expenive methods to do better at selling folk music to those who are not yet involved. You wont do it by finding reasons to maintain barriers.

I played with Guy when in Knoxville a few times. Yes people are doing it but not enough. They need to do it always every time all over. Stop expanding teaching when the people in my neighborhood are all playing and singing. Growth of folk music has been way too slow.

Thats right don dont market folk music keep it small and tiny and watch the songs fade from memory. You made my point exactly. Small thinking imposed on folk music. No not for me. Stop standing in the way of the expansion of folk music. Marketing is essential. You have to convince people who are not doing it to do it. That means you make every performance a teaching moment, tolerate less than perfect performances and remove barriers to attendance......

Ralphie you too! Exactly. You claim a shortage of concertinas. You cite high prices due to shortage then you tell me that the makers dont want to train others because they would loose work. Exactly my point. The key to making this folk artifact is training others. Just like pro musicians they want to maintain the shortage. If they have so many orders they cant keep up with them all and people have to wait an extremely long time then who cares about a few lost orders.
Also if they cared about the perpetuation of the craft they would also increase teaching on a massive scale. Exactly- folk music folks like basking in the shortage. This is a big barrier to expansion.

Howard if there was sufficient teaching and marketing there would be a huge folk music scene everywhere. Far from it. We only came close during the 50s 60s fad times. Why was that maintained if people are doing it right. They arent doing it right and for a few simple reasons pointed out here. Don just stepped in it- he doesnt like marketing. Ralphie says concertina makers want shortages.....Wake up.
there is nothing perfect in the status quo and changes pointed out here would be benificial.

I have a special spelling -If you dont like my spelling use your own spell czecher on it.

The expensive waiting list makers need to take those who have small operations in and train them as needed and do something about the shortage, increase demand, with more demand and avilability they will make more in volume sales.

You people are in the hole. And you seem like Don to like being there.

The essence of a good craftsman is the ability to pass on the trade and keep apprentices at it. As has been pointed out capitalism discourages this process. Maybe craftsmen should be given education training and personnel development instruction.

Conrad